A series win against the Diamondbacks, owners of the best record in MLB since June 1, would go a long way as the Phillies look to put their long slump behind him. So far, so good.
Final Score: Phillies 6, Diamondbacks 4
After taking two of three against the Los Angeles Dodgers, another big test was waiting for the Phillies in Arizona.
A series win against the Diamondbacks, owners of the best record in MLB since June 1, would go a long way as the Phillies look to put their long slump behind him. So far, so good.
Starter Kolby Allard kept Arizona’s aggressive hitters off balance just enough to give the Phillies a chance to capitalize against opposing starter Jordan Montgomery and reliever Dylan Floro. They sent nine men to the plate and scored four runs in the sixth inning with two outs en route to a 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks. Weston Wilson tied the game on a double, Trea Turner gave the Phillies the lead with a two-run single and Bryce Harper added another on an RBI single
Arizona cut the lead to 4-3 a half inning later on a two-run home run by Jake McCarthy off Orion Kerkering. After allowing the first four batters to reach safely, the Phillies decided to let Kerkering work through his struggles with a string of righties due up and it paid off. Kerkering retired three straight batters, including the final two on strikes, to maintain the lead. José Alvarado maneuvered through similar command trouble an innings later as he stranded two to keep Arizona scoreless in the eighth. Carlos Estévez allowed a run in the ninth to snap his 22 2/3 scoreless stream, but still managed to close it out in the ninth for his first save in a Phillies uniform.
